Last week Duke from Sales and I (Rachel from Marketing) swapped Nottingham for Scotland. We headed north to Loch Lomond Brewery – just outside Glasgow – for our latest collaboration brew. Between the two brew teams, we’d settled on a 3.8% tropical IPA brewed with Dolcita and Citra hops. Expect fruity peach and creamy coconut from Dolcita balanced with Citra’s grapefruit zestiness, yum!
A CHAMPION BREWERY
We’d last crossed paths with Alex from Loch Lomond’s sales team at BeerX in Liverpool, just before the brewery picked up the well-deserved title of UK Keg Stout and Porter Champion for their outstanding Silkie Stout.
Arriving in Glasgow on Thursday evening ahead of the brew day, Duke and I met Alex for a couple of pints at The Pot Still on Hope Street – a proper old school family run Scottish pub – with and incredible selection of over 1, 000 whiskies and 4 cask lines – it’s exactly the sort of place you hope to stumble across in a new city.
Above: the interior of The Pot Still
A Skye Red and a Skye Black from Isle of Skye Brewing Co. later, it was back to the hotel for a good sleep before Friday’s brew day.
PASTRIES AND TOP NOTCH COFFEE
The following morning started bright and early with a stop at Mor Bakery for breakfast before making our way to Glasgow Queen Street and onwards to Renton where the brewery’s located. Fuelled by excellent coffee and pastries, we were greeted warmly on arrival by co-owner Euan and Alex, who took us straight through to the brewhouse where head brewer Scott had everything prepped and ready to go.
Above: Scott overseeing the mash
We also had chance to catch up with Fiona – co-owner, original brewer and clearly one of the driving forces behind Loch Lomond Brewery. We discussed brewing, Scotland’s beer scene and how the Scottish weather makes the landscape so spectacularly beautiful.
Scott and Alex also filled us in on their relatively recent acquisition of impressive copper stills. Distilling under the name Levenbank Distillery and currently producing West Highland gin and vodka and Cu Mara Rum with whisky maturing in casks and soon to be available.
Above: Copper still and Levenbank casks
‘PUB TROPICANA’
Pub Tropicana was settled on as the name of the beer in a nod to the enduring popularity of cask beer (a beverage best enjoyed in the pub) for both Loch Lomond and Castle Rock Brewery. In an era where trends come and go, both breweries remain passionate believers in the simple joy of a well-kept pint in a good pub.
With the mash-out completed and the hops added (by Duke!) the hard work was largely done, leaving time to kick back in Loch Lomond’s fabulous taproom with freshly made pizza, excellent beer and plenty more brewing conversation.
Above: Scott and Duke mashing out
That’s the joy of collaboration days like these. Yes, the beer we’ve brewed is front and centre of why we’re there but just as important is continuing of sharing ideas, stories and experiences of breweries separated by geography but connected by the same enthusiasm for great beer. We cannot wait for the return collab – no spoilers but it’s going to be fabulous!
A POT STILL NIGHTCAP
Back in Glasgow after the brew day, there was only really one option for a nightcap – a return to The Pot Still!
Above: The Pot Still and water tap on the bar for customers to add to their whisky
We were intrigued by the unusual founts delivering the cask beer and asked the bartender for a bit of information. They’re uniquely Scottish and known as Aitken tall founts – they’re the original method for dispensing cask beer in Scotland dating back to 1870. Unlike the traditional hand pumps found south of the border, where beer is pulled up from the cellar, tall founts use air pressure to push the beer upwards instead.
Above: An Aitken tall fount in action
FROM COLLAB BREWS TO COLLAB BARS
Pub Tropicana with be available primarily on cask, but there’ll also be a strictly limited keg release launching at Nottingham Craft Beer Festival (on 19th and 20th June) where we’ll be sharing a bar with Loch Lomond Brewery.
Bar sharing has quietly become something of a tradition for us over the years. Three years ago, when the increasing popularity of the festival meant our friends from Thornbridge Brewery missed out on a spot, we invited them to join us. Last year we shared a bar with the fabulous alcoholic ginger beer brewers DMC.
This year we’re delighted to be pouring alongside Loch Lomond for the launch of Pub Tropicana.
We had the best time in Scotland, great beer, a fabulous pub and another collaboration we can’t wait to share. If you’re going to the Nottingham Craft Beer Festival – make sure to pop over to see us and the guys from Loch Lomond Brewery for the launch of Pub Tropicana on keg.
Cheers!
Team CRB x
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